Welcome Home
by Jaerskov Tempestwing
Summary: Naruto makes a huge mistake and does what he has to in order to fix it and make it right. How will it end? One-Shot. AU. Smarter Naruto.


Fury.

It was all they felt towards him.

All the Rookies of his year felt he should accept his judgement for his crimes. He should be punished severely. Even Sasuke and Hinata, who seen him as a partner and lover respectively, thought that he should at least give some answers to what he did.

So they followed him to his home outside of Konoha, near the walls. How he managed to build a home there was beyond them. It didn't matter though. He was here and they would have him, he'll or high water. Even TenTen and Lee came for some answers, though they came for another different reason.

Kiba sniffs the air. "He's inside."

Hinata activates her Byakugan. "He's sitting in the floor. Let's go in."

All nod and Kiba takes point. He opens the door. They all file in the through the door.

They all saw him sitting in the lotus position facing them with his eyes closed. But they all knew he knew they were there.

"So... You've finally came..." He said.

Sasuke was the first to speak. "We came for answers... Dobe."

He laughed a little. "I'm surprised you came... Teme."

Naruto Uzumaki. The Hero of the Leaf. The Fallen Hero. The Dark Savior. The Betrayer. He had answers and they wanted them.

"Naruto... Why?" Asked Hinata, shaking. From anger or sadness, no one knew. "Why'd you do it?"

Naruto said nothing for a while and kept his eyes closed. A look of sadness came across his face. Everyone knew that face. A face of sadness, pain, and regret. After a few minutes of silence, he started doing handseals. Everyone tensed. Was he going to hurt them? Or worse? Everyone was visibly sweating. They all knew he was too strong for all of them to handle. The tension stayed strong until he called his jutsu.

Uzumaki Hijutsu: All-Sealing Barrier!

Black Fuinjutsu lines made their way across all corners of the room and the door slammed shut. Everyone felt their chakra sealed off and their bodies stilled. He had sealed off all movement and chakra, leaving just enough to survive and stay concious.

Slowly, Naruto raised his hand... Then lowered it. Everyone felt their bodies being pushed down into a sitting position. This scared them, even Sasuke. Not even his brother put him in such a helpless state.

This was the reason that all the rookies recognised him as the best of the best: He was a sealmaster. One of the greatest. Fueled by his blood and thirst for seals, he transcended his old master, Jiraiya of the Sannin.

Naruto didn't move from his position. He merely brought his hands into fists and put them together, knuckle to knuckle. He lifted his head towards them, but still kept his eyes closed.

Finally, he spoke to them. "Let me tell you all a story. As a last request from an old friend."

All looked confused at this, but Kiba had other thoughts. "Like hell, you don't deserve such things, traitor!"

Naruto was expecting something like this, but he couldn't mask the hurt that it came with. His face flashed a bit of pain, but reverted back to its normal form.

It didn't form fast enough for everyone to not see it. Surprisingly enough, Ino was the first to ask, somewhat scared. "What's the story about?"

Naruto wasn't expecting someone to ask so quickly about it, but hid it with a small smile. "A story of a fool who thought he could make world peace."

Lee spoke up. "Naruto-san, why have you trapped us here?"

'Still respectful to me... Thank you Lee.' Naruto thought, but before he could speak, someone beat him to the punch.

"Troublesome... It was the only way you could get us to listen to you isn't it?" Guess who this was. Naruto could only nod his head, he was right. "...what a drag. Alright, Naruto, you've got our attention." Shikamaru said.

"Wait, you guys are gonna let him probably lie to us!? After what he did!? Hell no! I won't do it!" Kiba said, still vengeful. However, who put him on his place surprised everyone.

"Mutt, shut the hell up with your constant bitching. He's got us to where we can do nothing, what do you think you can do? He stronger than all of us." Sasuke said. "Even I'm not that prideful. So, respect our comrade's last wish, you disrespectful bastard."

Even Naruto was shocked. No one expected Sasuke to come to defend Naruto. Kiba could only look at him with wide eyes before he realised that Sasuke was right. He was stuck and could do nothing. He'd hear it no matter what. So Kiba did what he always did when he was wrong: he huffed and turned his head away.

"Tch, whatever." He said.

Sakura spoke up now, being surprisingly quiet. "Naruto, what does this story have to do with why you did what you did?"

Naruto got over his shock of Sasuke and gave Sakura a sad smile. "Because it has all the answers to all of your questions, even the unasked ones."

This only piqued everyone's curiosity, even Sasuke. They knew little to nothing about Naruto himself, just what they did together.

Chouji spoke. "Naruto, tell your story then. We'll listen."

Naruto, with his eyes still closed, smiled at them. "Ok then. It starts off like this."

I was born on October 10th from a great man and woman, but that day was burned into everyone's mind that it was hell in the Leaf. The Kyuubi attacked and the village suffered heavy losses, but none greater than the Fourth Hokage, who sacrificed himself to seal the Kyuubi into myself, though I had no idea of it until much later. After it was sealed, the Third Hokage found me and brought me to the council.

The civilian council called for my death immediately. The elder council demanded I be turned into a killing weapon loyal to a fault. The shinobi council wanted me to be a normal child. With the council evenly divided, no one could reach a conclusion until the Third came to one. I would be put into an orphanage and be treated like a normal child and my burden was made an S-Class secret. What the Third or the shinobi council could predict it that secrets leak out of the council like water through broken glass.

About a week after I was put into the orphanage, the terrible treatment began. I was denied food, care, and, for a while, a roof over my head. The children would rum away from me when I got older and the adults would beat me constantly.

When I was four, I was being chased by a group of people that came in from outside and wanted to hurt me. I ran to a window and opened it, and before I could get caught, I jumped out of it. I tried to jump to another building, but I didn't do it good enough, so I fell. From three stories high.

When I hit the ground, I couldn't feel anything anymore. I couldn't move, but I could see. I felt my conciousness fading, and I knew I was dying. I felt so scared, but at the same time, so happy. I would finally get away from the mean people.

That all went to hell when I felt my neck snap itself back into place and my ribs mend itself. I was healing. And no one was near me. I was terrified. I thought then that what those people called me when they beat me was true: demon child.

Before I could get up, I heard a familiar voice around me, it sounded like an old man. When I opened my eyes, I saw the Third Hokage in his robes and everything. He was the coolest man I had ever seen, he even seemed cool when I was dying. He walked to me and checked my body, and he saw all the bones repairing themselves. He smiled at me and told me I was going to be ok. It felt good that I had someone who didn't hate me. He picked me up and told me he was going to keep me safe for the night. So we went to his office. I heard him yell something at the ANBU and then I heard screams. I paid them no attention. I focused on the warmth of this man who cared for me and fell asleep.

The next day, he assigned me my own apartment and a caretaker, one of his personal guard ANBU, she went by the name Neko. She was so nice to me, she even bought my groceries for me. She stayed with me for 5 years and I managed to learn her name, Yugao Uzuki. She taught me how to defend myself against multiple people and even showed me her sword style: Crescent Moon. I caught on to it easily, she said it was a gift of a natural.

It was then I realised, I had no idea who my parents were or if they were alive. So I asked the Third and Neko when I was at the Hokage office. They looked sad and told me that they had died in the Kyuubi attack, but that was all they could tell me, because they had many enemies that would want me dead. I understood, but speaking of the Kyuubi made something in my head come into place. I asked them about how I survived jumping out of a three story window. And the sense of power and malice I felt that day.

The Third looked contemplative for a minute before Neko spoke up. She said it was time to stop hiding in the shadows. The Third looked contemplative again before he sighed and placed something on his table it looked like a piece of paper with the word seal on it. I then saw it shine and black lines went everywhere. I was freaked out by this, but remained still.

The Third told me he just placed a seal on his office and no one would be able to hear us. Then, he told me that the Fourth sealed the Kyuubi into me. At first, I was shocked, then angered, then I understood why he did it. He wanted to save everyone.

No one could tell me that I wasn't smart. I could figure out complex puzzles in minutes and connect dots faster than anyone could predict, even at my young age. So when the Third told me I had a large sentient being of chakra in me, I understood why I healed from a near-death state. The Fox's chakra healed me. If I die, he dies. Mutual gain.

I saw myself as a prison, and I held the most dangerous prisoner of them all.

So it was no surprise to the Third and Neko when I asked for help in my training. The Third handed me a scroll that contained how to unlock chakra and how to get better control over it. He told me to use it now. So, I did. I unlocked my chakra to where I could use it freely instead of a life or death situation. And everyone within 30 miles felt it.

My chakra was massive. Beyond that of a normal ninja's. It was more than the Third's and he's a Hokage. So he realised that my control would be atrocious and he gave me another scroll with more tips on control from the lowest form to the highest. A guide to perfect control by the Hokage. I treasured that scroll like it was my lifeline. I still have it on me to this day.

Neko showed me the three basic jutsus to help me pass the ninja exam and that was the last thing she could show me. When I turned 9, I had gotten my control improved greatly and learned two of the three basic jutsus: the substitution and the henge. I was even able to improve the henge so good that I could make a true transformation into anything. It helped me buy food when I was left on my own.

I could not do the bunshin jutsu to save my life because it required so little chakra to do. No matter how much I walked on water, climbed trees, and even balanced myself on kunai, I couldn't do it. So it should come as no surprise that I failed two exams and got tricked by Mizuki to steal the forbidden scroll of sealing to pass. While waiting for Mizuki to pass me, I learned what would be my greatest jutsu in my arsenal: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

When I found out I was tricked and Iruka-sensei got hurt, I was angry and made a thousand Kage Bunshin to beat him half to death. I also got my headband that day too.

From then on, you all know what happened... Our time in Nami, the Chunin Exams, and the Oto/Suna Invasion... And the Third's death against that snake son of a bitch, Orochimaru... My training trip and the Pein Crisis.

Naruto remained silent to let everyone take in what happened. Some were wide eyed, some were sad looking, Hinata was openly crying. Even Kiba was a bit sad.

"How..."

Everyone looked at the person who talked, Sasuke.

"How did you not go crazy at the beginning? You know what I went through and I almost left the damn village! How can you still even smile!?"

Naruto simply smiled at him. "You want to know the truth?"

"You're damn right I do!"

Naruto sat quiet for a minute, then spoke.

"Because I had all of you."

Now everyone was wide eyed. They were Naruto's lifeline? How?

As if reading their minds, he started talking. "Sasuke, you were my reason to push myself, to get stronger. Sakura, you were so smart, I wanted to be smart like that and always appreciated your advice on things. Kiba, you were always up for a challenge, it was fun pitting myself against you. Shikamaru, you had the greatest tactical mind I'd ever seen, so I played shogi with you to get better. Ino, you were great with flowers and your tips with my garden was phenomenal. Chouji, I loved our eating contests, never had I found a rival for it and I was happy I did. TenTen, your weapon skills were beyond impressive and I was always glad to receive pointers from you. Lee, you always had energy, even more than me, and I always had a friend in you. Shino, you always were secretive, but it was you that taught me how to work hidden and quietly. Hinata... You showed me what love is all about and never let anyone talk bad about me. That's why you all are precious to me."

None of them could say anything. What could they say? Thank you? Glad to see you haven't gone insane yet? It did, however, leave a question. One that Lee, tactless as ever, asked.

"Naruto-san, what about Neji?"

Everyone looked at Naruto for a reaction and they definitely got one. One they never expected.

Tears.

Naruto was crying.

Everyone could only stare in surprise. Their surprise and shock only got bigger when Naruto began to speak.

"Neji..." He said in a shaky voice, trying to control his emotions. "Neji was a brother to me. I confided in him as a true sibling..." He said, coming to a less shaky voice. "And I am to blame for what happened to him... It's my fault... I killed him."

Hinata spoke to him through her own tears. "W-What h-h-a-appened that d-d-day? A-a-ll of it-t."

Naruto sighed, getting his emotions in check for this. "When Pein came to Konoha after he killed Ero-Sannin, I mean Jiraiya, and destroyed most of Konoha, I lost it. He took my home, my father-figure and mentor, and almost killed my precious people. I couldn't keep my rage in anymore and let my self-control go. The Kyuubi poured almost all of his power into me and I destroyed Pein. I traced his chakra signature to his real body and and killed him and his bodyguard. When I had thought it was all over, I began to let loose and destroy part of the forest to satiate my anger. I heard a voice and turned around. Then, I saw him. Neji. He had come to calm me down. He told me to fight against it. And I did. I fought hard against the control and almost had it won..." Naruto stopped.

"What happened?" Hinata said, tears stopped.

Naruto bit his lip and continued. "The Kyuubi gave one last push on his chakra and it put almost all of its power into it. I didn't see Neji anymore. All I saw was a target."

Naruto's tears came again. "When I finally gained my senses, my hand buried inside of his chest. So I did what anyone would have done. I screamed. I yelled for help, but no one was near. I looked at him with horror in my eyes. You know what he did after that?"

Naruto started crying harder. "He smiled. He told me it was ok. His words were 'Don't fret, brother. The bird is out of the cage now. Thank you.' He thanked me for killing him! I could only cry while he bled out. I thought this was some kind of sick joke, a nightmare. But when I opened my eyes again, he was still there."

Naruto slowed his tears and showed a small smile. "Hinata, do you want me to tell you his last words?"

Hinata nodded her head furiously as she cried with Naruto.

His smile grew bigger. "His last words were of you and Hanabi. He said 'Take care of my sisters.'"

Hinata started bawling now. "Neji-nii-san!" She wailed.

Everyone waited for Hinata to settle down. After a few minutes she got herself under control enough to smile at Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

He smiled at her, his eyes still strangely closed the entire time. "However, I made a promise to him that day."

Everyone perked up at this. When Naruto promised something, he would do it even if it kills him.

"I told him that I would get rid of the Hyuuga Branch seal." Naruto said, still smiling.

Everyone's eyes widened at that. Hinata spoke first. "Is it possible, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gave a hearty laugh. "Possible? I've already figured it out."

Hinata's eyes shone at Naruto. "You've done it already?"

Naruto gave a true smile at Hinata. "Yup, the scroll is over there on the table. It's why I led you guys here."

At this everyone did a double-take. He led them here?

As if reading their mind again, he confirmed their thoughts. "Yup, and that's not the only thing either. When I disappeared for a year, I also hunted down a certain snake bastard and the remaining Akatsuki."

Everyone was now truly shocked, and it didn't stop there. "Itachi is still alive Sasuke. By the time this is over, he'll be waiting at your house. Talk to him. There are things you don't know about that he needs to answer. I did keep Orochimaru alive for a specific purpose, though, and I'm about to show you."

Sasuke's face was serious as he nodded, but curious as to what the last thing he said was about. "What purpose is that, Naruto?"

Naruto smiled a true smile at everyone. "I'm going to bring Neji back to life."

No one made a sound as Naruto got up and made hand signs. They soon figured out why: they couldn't.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to say, this seal that we're in is special. I can alter what it does to a whim. Right now it's siphoning a little chakra from you and suppressing yours and your movements, including vocal chords and body. I need to concentrate on this or it won't work." Naruto said as his face got serious and completed the last hand sign. "Summoning: Edo Tensei!"

A huge coffin emerges in the room with Orochimaru in it, looking less than happy... A lot less.

"Hey Snake Bastard, here's how it feels to be in your own jutsu!" The coffin closes up and a scream is heard. Then silence. Naruto walks to the coffin and pries the lid off.

There stood Neji looking like his usual self. He opens his eyes and looks around and sees all his old allies sitting looking at him in shock.

"I'm... alive?" He asks.

"Not quite yet, Neji." He looks over and sees Naruto with his eyes closed.

"Naruto! What happened? What is going on?"

Naruto smiles at him. "I'm atoning for my mistake. I'm bringing you back to life."

Neil's eyes widen. "Naruto, there's no true way to restore life me."

Naruto smiled at him again. "That would be true if I didn't get hold of these." He opens his eyes for the first time since everyone got here and everyone gasped.

Naruto had the Rinnegan.

"I managed to pull these from Pein and used them to destroy the Akatsuki fairly easily. Even their true leader, Obito Uchiha. And these eyes can do a lot things. I ask for one thing in return, though."

Neji looks at Naruto. "What is it?"

Naruto sadly smiles at everyone. "Destroy these eyes when I'm done."

Neji nods, but wonders something. 'He said to destroy them when he's done, but he should be able to when he is finished. Unless... NO!'

Naruto places his hands together and gathers his chakra, losing the concentration on holding the other's vocal chords.

Hinata looked at Neji with glee, but saw the terror in his face. "Neji-nii-san, what's wrong?"

Neji looked at all of his allies with horror. "HE'S GOING TO KILL HIMSELF!"

Neji tries to move, but to no avail. Everyone looks at Naruto with the same horror and does the same as Neji.

"Naruto, stop don't do this!" Sakura says.

"Don't try and stop me." He says.

"Please, Naruto-San, there has to be another way!" Lee says.

"No, I've looked for a long time. This is the only way." He says.

Everyone pleads with Naruto to stop, until Shino speaks for the first time since he's been there.

"Everyone... stop."

All eyes go to Shino, expecting something else to be said.

Shino adjusted his shades and spoke up. "We will not be able to convince him to stop. Why? Because the man had made up his mind. He's thought about this for a while. What gives us the right to not carry out a man's last wishes?"

Everyone looks at Shino sadly, realising he's right. To try and convince Naruto to stop would be trampling all over his wishes.

TenTen spoke up. "It doesn't stop it from hurting any less!"

"Nothing ever will. Why? Because he is our friend and we can do nothing. Even if we use the Rinnegan to bring him back to life, he will just use it again to revive the one who revived him. He is just that stubborn. Why? Because he is just like his father." Shino stated.

Everyone looked at Shino with confusion, except Shikamaru, having already figured it out. Chouji spoke. "His father? You know who he is?"

"Troublesome... How could I have not figured it out sooner? His blonde hair. His stubborn and caring personality. He's the Fourth's, Minato Namikaze, son."

Everyone looked at Naruto with shock as he only smiled. "Shoulda know you two would figure it out soon than I'd hoped. Now you all know my biggest secret. But our time is almost up. The Rinnegan is almost done."

"If you have anything to say, say it now, we won't get another chance." Sasuke says, surprising everyone.

Everyone looks at Naruto with sadness as they all prepare themselves.

Chouji spoke. "I'll go first. Naruto, you were a great friend. You always listened to my problems and never let anyone call me fat. Thank you."

Ino spoke next. "Naruto... We may have not seen eye to eye in the early past, but you always knew how to cheer someone up in anyway. I'm sorry for all the things I've done to you."

"Naruto, while I say that you are a troublesome person, it is not troublesome to tell you that you are a good friend and you have my respect." Shikamaru says.

"Naruto, you are the most selfless person I have met, and you brought Neji-kun back to me. Thank you so much." TenTen says with thankful tears in her eyes.

"Naruto-san, you are the most youthful person I've ever seen. May your flames of youth burn through me as tribute!" Lee yells.

"Naruto, you know how to stick to your pack and have their backs even in death. You are a true alpha." Kiba says in respect.

Naruto-san, you are one of the few that never questioned my hobbies or thought of me as a weird person. Thank you." Shino says.

"Naruto, you really are a baka. But you are a baka with a big heart and gentle soul. Kami bless you." Sakura says, crying.

"Dobe... No, Naruto. Thank you for all you've done for me and my family. May you find your peace in the afterlife." Sasuke says.

"Naruto-kun... Thank you so much. I don't want to see you go at all. But I know it's your choice and I will always stand by you. I love you. And thank you for bringing my family together again." Hinata says, bawling.

Neji was the last to say anything before the jutsu was done.

"Naruto... My brother... Thank you."

Naruto looked happily at everyone and gave his trademark foxy grin. "Everyone... Goodbye."

"Outer Path: Heavenly Rebirth!"

A great light shined over Neji and engulfed him. Naruto held his hands together until the light faded, leaving Neji and his normal body standing.

"I'm... I'm alive! Truly alive!"

Naruto looks at Neji and smiles. "Welcome home, Neji." He says as blood starts pouring out of his mouth. He coughs and falls backwards. As soon as he hit the ground, everyone could move again.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata screams, crawling towards him. When she reaches him, his eyes are barely open, but somehow back to his normal blue. "No no no no, this can't be happening, you can't be dying, come on, let's get him to Tsunade!" She frantically says as she picks him up with surprising strength. Neji runs over and assists her in picking him up and they run to Tsunade.

Tsunade was not having a good time at all. First the council calls for Naruto's death for discretion and murder, then Naruto disappears for a year, and now when he gets back he runs off from her office saying he's got 'mad important thing right now' and he'll be right back.

'What's next?' She thinks.

As fate would have it, Hinata burst in though her doors with Naruto on her back.

"LADY TSUNADE! HELP HIM!" she screams.

Tsunade had to do a double take. Hinata never gets that loud unless...

"Naruto!" She notices him on her back.

Hinata lays him on the couch in the Hokage's office and let's Tsunade take over. As she scans him, she gasps.

'His chakra network is completely destroyed! His coils are damaged worse than I've ever seen! And he's internally bleeding!' "What the hell happened!?" She demanded.

"He used a jutsu that revived me." Someone says in her doorway. She turns to look at the perpetrator and turns pale white.

"N-Neji Hyuuga..."

"Yes, Lady Hokage, I am alive. Now please...help him."

Tsunade shakes off her shock for the moment and goes to check Naruto again, until she feels a hand against hers.

"Hey Baa-chan..." Naruto says weakly.

She looks at him with tears in her eyes. "Naruto... I don't know if I can fix this..." She says crying.

"It's ok, Baa-chan. It's ok." He gives her a weak smile. "Do me a favor ok?"

"Anything Naruto, anything."

"Bury me next to my mom and dad." He says weakly.

Tsunade openly crys for Naruto. He places a hand on her back and rubs it. "Dont cry Baa-chan, I'm going to see that old pervert and his perverted teacher again." He says chuckling.

She buries her head into his chest, hugging him. Hinata does the same with his neck.

"Neko, you still here?" He calls out to the ceiling.

"Yes, Naruto, I'm here." She drops from the ceiling. There were wet spots under her mask.

"Can you go get Anko and Hiashi? I wanna talk to them before I go." He says.

She nods and disappears with a shunshin. She reappears a few seconds later with a purple haired girl eating a dango and a long black haired man with pale eyes.

"Yu-chan, what's the big idea?" Says Anko

"Yes, Neko-San, why did you drag me from my home?"

Neko simply pointed toward the couch, where Naruto lays, surrounded by Hinata and Tsunade.

Anko's eyes widened and she rushes past Hiashi to Naruto. "Naruto! What happened to you!?"

Hiashi was about to go and strike down the one who killed his nephew, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at the person who would dare get between his vengeance and turned as pale as his eyes.

"N-neji? Is that really you?"

"Yes Uncle Hiashi, it's me. I'm alive."

"How? I saw your corpse! I buried you myself!"

"Naruto brought me back to life at the cost of his own."

Hiashi looked at the blonde man laying on his death bed and walked over to him. Anko saw him approaching and quickly pulled out a kunai.

"You will not hurt him! I will not hesitate to hurt you instead!" She said.

Hiashi placed his hands in front of him in peace. "I do not wish to harm him, only thanks him for bringing my nephew back to me."

Anko looked confused for a moment, but looked past Hiashi and gasped. 'Naruto did that!?' "How!?"

"He brought me back and its killing him." Neji responded.

Anko could only look at Naruto in pain. "He's done so much for us, even made the ultimate sacrifice..." She says, tears threatening to fall.

"Hiashi-sama..." They heard softly. They turned and looked at Naruto who was sporting a 'come here' look.

Hiashi walked over to Naruto and knelt beside him, looking him in the eye.

"Yes, Naruto-san?"

Naruto smiled weakly. "I'm sorry for what I've done. I can only hope this can repair the damage I've caused."

"Naruto-san, I am forever grateful for your sacrifice. Thank you for bringing back my nephew and family." Hiashi says.

Naruto smiles brightly. "Thank you Hiashi-sama."

"I have a question Naruto-san. How did you do it?"

Naruto looked at him with a smile. "Anko-chan, come here."

She walked toward him, tears still brimming in her eyes. "What is it, Naruto?"

Naruto smiled brightly at her. "I killed the snake bastard for you."

To say everyone except Hinata and Neji were shocked was like saying Naruto liked ramen.

"You-you serious, gaki? He's dead?" She asked in a whisper.

He could only smile. "Yup, I used him in his own Edo Tensei as a sacrifice to bring Neil's soul back. Then I took the Rinnegan from Pein and brought Neji truly back to life."

Anko and Neko could only nod humbly, Hiashi and Tsunade weren't faring much better.

"Oh, and you don't have to worry about the Kyuubi any more either." He said.

That shocked everyone, including Neji and Hinata. "What? How is that, Naruto?" Tsunade questioned.

Naruto smiled. "During my one year trip, I managed to go visit my clan's old home, Uzushiogakure. There were a lot of things about sealing there. My dad was a genius but he messed up on one thing with the seal. When there is no more chakra being held into the seal, the Kyuubi will die with me, but be reborn in a few years. I managed to put another seal that draws in chakra from nature and attach it to my seal, making the Kyuubi indefinitly sealed. Just place a stasis seal near my seal and it'll last until there is no more chakra in the world." He finished and laid his head down on the couch.

Nobody said a word. Naruto just explained that he sealed the Kyuubi forever. He was a true hero.

"Hey... Everyone..." He called weakly. They all rushed over to his side. He did his trademark foxy grin and told them his last words.

"I pass my goal for true peace to you... Believe it."

Naruto took his last breath and passed away peacefully.

No words were said for half an hour. It was Tsunade that broke the silence.

"Neko."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Summon the council. All of them."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Neji spoke up. "Lady Hokage, Naruto's last request to me was to destroy his Rinnegan."

"Very well, Neji. Do it."

Neji charged chakra in his fingertips and then into Naruto's eyes, effectively destroying the Rinnegan.

"Neji, Hinata."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"I want a full report on my dest in two days time. After that, take two weeks off for Naruto's rememberance. Tell your teammates to do the same. Anko, take two weeks off, effective now."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Neko shows up at this time. "Hokage-sama, the council has been summoned."

"Good, all of you come with me. You too Neko."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade leads Hinata, Neji, Anko, Neko and Hiashi to the council chambers and shuts the door.

"Lady Tsunade, why have you called the council at this time?" Asks Elder Koharu.

"Yes, tell us what has happened, Hokage-sama." Inoichi Yamanaka says.

Tsunade's face was still grim with tear stains down her face. "It is with a heavy heart I inform, mainly the ninja council, of the death of Naruto Uzumaki."

Immediately murmurs were heard throughout the entire council. Tsume Inuzuka stood out of her chair and look at Tsunade.

"What happened to Naruto?" Asked Tsume, ready to implode.

Tsunade merely stepped to the side to reveal Neji Hyuuga, alive and well.

The murmurs turned into gasps and shock. Inoichi stood and looked at Neji.

"Neji? You're alive?"

"Yes, Naruto sacrificed himself to resurrect me." Neji responded.

"How?" This came from Tsume. "How did Naru-chan do that? Where is he?"

Tsunade stepped in. "That is a SSS-Class secret that no one in the ninja world shall ever know of again. The only ones who know of it are myself, Neji, and Naruto. No one else. Naruto is in my office. Come."

The council files out of the room into Tsunade's chambers where Naruto's body was being guarded by ANBU Boar and Tenzo.

"Hokage-sama, we stood guard to the hero's body. We wanted nothing to happen to him."

"Thank you Boar, Tenzo. Go and get his friends and bring them here so they can pay their respects."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

After a few minutes Naruto's friends arrive. They all share a grievous look at Naruto's body.

All the council and Naruto's friends gather around his body and exchange goodbye. After a while, Tsunade speaks up.

"The reason I brought all of you in here is on the circumstance of Naruto's death, he had one last wish. He wished to be buried next to his mother and father."

One civilian council member spoke. "But Hokage-sama, we don't know who it is."

"Elder council, since Naruto is dead, care to enlighten anyone on who his parents were?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Naruto Uzumaki was born Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze." Spoke Elder Homura.

The civilian council was shocked, but the ninja council wasn't. They'd all been there when the sealing took place.

"He is Lord Fourth's son!? Impossible! I don't believe it." Shouted a fat civilian.

"He is and you better get used to it. He will be buried next to Minato and Kushina." Tsunade declared.

All were silent after that. "Send a message to Suna, Nami, Yuki, and Oni explaining about Naruto's death. The funeral will be in two weeks from now. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

After everyone files out of Tsunade's office, Shizune comes in with a few bottles of sake, Tsunade wanted them earlier.

"Lady Tsunade, I apologize but your store didn't have any sake left so I had to- Lady Tsunade?" Shizune immediately got worried when she saw Tsunade's face: grief stricken and hopeless, like when her uncle died.

Tsunade looks up with tears in her eyes, then towards the couch with Naruto. When Shizune looked over at the couch, she gasped and started shaking. She had set the bottles down earlier, otherwise she would have dropped them. She ran over to the couch.

"Naruto-kun? Are you ok? Naruto-kun!? Answer me!" She used her diagnostics jutsu on him and when she did, she flinched. He had no pulse, his chakra system was destroyed, and his coils were far too damaged to repair. Her heart sank and she started hyperventilating. She looked at Tsunade with horror in her eyes and tears started flowing down her face. She got up on her feet and ran towards Tsunade and hugged her tightly. They both started to cry hard and for hours, the only sounds heard in the Hokage's office was crying.

The funeral was as dreary as everyone was feeling. Ninjas and civilians all across the Elemental Nations came to mourn the Hero of the Leaf, hero to many.

With Suna came Gaara, Matsuri, Temari, and Kankuro.

With Wave came many civilians, including Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari.

With Yuki came Yuki and her director, although they were not filming for a movie, but a documentary of Naruto.

With Oni came Priestess Shion and her temple guard.

All of Konoha had gathered for Naruto's funeral. And everyone had something to say about him. Some reminisced on times they had with him, some told stories about what he did for them, some just told how much he meant to them.

The last one was Gaara.

"My fellow nins, good people of Konoha, we have lost a great person. One of my few friends and one who I could truely call brother. I know some of you know what I mean. He was the most selfless, humble person I'd ever met. He was the one to pull me out of the darkness that was my life. I now have the chance to tell his story to my future children and they to theirs. All he wanted was for someone to realize he was there all the time. I now say this to you, Naruto: your wish has finally came true."

Naruto's eyes shot open. His head was dizzy and all he saw was white. After a while he felt better, but still saw nothing but white. He got up and started moving around for a while. After a few minutes, he came across a set of gates, like Konoha's, but with only one person at it: a beautiful woman with long black hair and porcelain skin. She stood at the gates with a smile on her face looking right at Naruto.

"Hello miss. Umm... Can you tell me where I am?" He asked.

She giggled a little. "Silly Naruto-kun, don't you realise where you go when you die?"

Naruto realized where he was but was confused. "Umm... This is heaven, right? I thought I was going to hell, not to sound ungrateful or anything."

The woman looked confused. "Why would you think that Naruto-kun?"

"Well, I killed a friend with my own hands. I'm a bad person." He said, looking down.

He felt a hand on his face and looked up to see the woman with a smile on her face. "Naruto-kun, you gave your own life up to get his back and it wasn't even really you who killed him, was it? The mistake was corrected and forgiven. You are welcome in my domain." She finished gently.

"Your domain? Then, that means-"

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I am Kami."

"Kami-sama... Thank you. So much."

"You're welcome, now enter." She moved her hand towards the gates and they opened. He saw two figures he immediately recognised.

"Mom! Dad!"

"Son!"

Minato and Kushina rushed at him and hugged him for all his worth. He was crying into their arms as they were whispering comforting words into his ear.

When he got control of himself, he looked up and saw three more figures he recognised.

"Ero-Sennin! Kakashi-sensei! Hokage-jiji!"

He ran towards them and hugged all of them tightly. As he recovered himself he heard someone call his name.

"Naruto-kun?"

He looked back to see Kami smiling at him.

"I forgot to tell you... Welcome home."


End file.
